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yellowdogintexas

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56. Dark fired tobacco barn smoke. Weird I know but bear with me:

Tue Jun 17, 2025, 12:25 AM

Jun 17

Disclaimer: I hate tobacco, smoking, the whole shebang, even though practically everyone I knew growing up depended on it for income (most farmers there still do) However ...........

There is a variety of tobacco known as dark fired which is only grown in Western Kentucky and a little bit of Tennessee. When the tobacco is cut and spiked for hanging, it goes in a barn which is shut tight to keep out the light, but has vents across the top. Smouldering piles of sawdust made with aromatic wood are inside the dark barn (tended 24 hrs a day) Some of the woods used are cherry, peach, pecan, walnut, apple . When the barns are firing, the whole countryside smells divine, and because the smoke is so high in the air and is also rather wispy it isn't irritating.

If I travel to KY during curing season, that first smell lets me know I am home. I would buy a candle if it could duplicate tobacco barn!!

This tobacco is used for pipe and some chewing tobacco. If you go into a pipe shop the smell is very similar.

https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/red-kentucky-tobacco-curing-barn-covered-with-smoke-in-autumn-gm2203967023-621468175

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debm55 Pachamama

141 replies

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The sense of smell is know for bringing back memories. My favorite smell is cinnamon, What is your favorite? [View all] debm55 Jun 16 OP

Fresh cut grass C_U_L8R Jun 16 #1

Yes, Thank you C_U_L8R. wonderful summer smell. debm55 Jun 16 #15

Cinnamon/baking smells are a biggie buzzycrumbhunger Jun 16 #2

OH, I agree. Such a unique smell. Love it, Thank you buzzycrumbhunger. debm55 Jun 16 #17

that smell that a forest has right after a nice rain. ret5hd Jun 16 #3

Thank you ret5hd. You are right it is almost unami. debm55 Jun 16 #18

Suntan lotion and chlorine for memories. PikaBlue Jun 16 #4

Yes, the sunny days of summer by the water. thank you PikaBlue. debm55 Jun 16 #19

Holiday pine tree🎄 anciano Jun 16 #5

Oh yes the smell of pine trees.Wonderful smell. Thank you very much anciano debm55 Jun 16 #21

Pumpkin pie nt evemac Jun 16 #6

YUMMY. the smell is wonderful. Thank you very much evemac. debm55 Jun 16 #22

Bread baking. pandr32 Jun 16 #7

Oh ya. Thank you very much pandr32. A wonderful smell. debm55 Jun 16 #23

Grilled saba (mackerel) Shambala Jun 16 #8

Oh Shambala. that smell sounds so wonderful Thank you for sharing debm55 Jun 16 #24

Roses FalloutShelter Jun 16 #9

What a beautiful smell and sweet memories to go with it. Thank you, FalloutShelter. debm55 Jun 16 #25

New mown hay on a summer evening. Also moniss Jun 16 #10

Wonderful , simply wonderful moniss. Thank you for sharing with us. I like the smell of hay also. debm55 Jun 16 #46

Pine Sol Raven123 Jun 16 #11

LOL malaise Jun 16 #32

thank you very Malaise for sharing with us. I think I would take the lavender over the Pine. debm55 Jun 16 #50

HAHAHAHAH. Thank you very much Raven123 for sharing with us. May her memories be a blessing to your heart. debm55 Jun 16 #49

Not me. Serious headache inducer for me nt yellowdogintexas Jun 16 #53

Coffee perking and bacon or sausage frying Dorothy V Jun 16 #12

Thank you very much Dorothy V. Those smells sound wonder, except for the coffee. Glad it brough good memories to you. debm55 Jun 17 #69

If we are talking spices, I love the smell of curry and ginger. Polly Hennessey Jun 16 #13

thank you very much Polly Hennessey for your spices and your memories. debm55 Jun 17 #72

Mown hay curing in the field. WheelWalker Jun 16 #14

Thank you very much WheelWalker. Hay has a very distinct. smell. debm55 Jun 17 #68

Mimeographed paper. Silent Type Jun 16 #16

Thank you Silent Type. I was a teacher for 42 years. I know exactly what you are talking about debm55 Jun 17 #73

Basil. Whenever I smell it I think fondly Hassler Jun 16 #20

Mrs. Meyers makes a basil dish soap! buzzycrumbhunger Jun 16 #34

Thank you very much, Hassler. May the memories of your grandmother be a blessing to you. debm55 Jun 17 #74

Vanilla. Citrus. I had a grandmother who was deaf and applegrove Jun 16 #26

Thank you very much, applegrove. For a long time I wore perfume with hints of vanilla and/or citrus. Bakery smells are debm55 Jun 17 #75

I Love The Smell of Jet Fuel In The Morning. pdxflyboy Jun 16 #27

Nope. They dumped that stuff in our local creek for years... malthaussen Jun 17 #71

I agree with you Mal. I live near a Steel Mill , who knows what I have been drinking debm55 Jun 17 #77

HAHAHHHA. Thank you pdxflyboy. debm55 Jun 17 #76

Lavender MustLoveBeagles Jun 16 #28

I love lavender too. thank you MustLoveBeagles. I tried to grow some years ago. I don't know if it was soil but it would debm55 Jun 17 #78

Fresh pine at Christmas malaise Jun 16 #29

Thank you so much, malaise. We don't do real pine trees anymore. But I buy a wreath to get the pine smell. debm55 Jun 17 #79

What a lovely idea to make a Christmas wreath! electric_blue68 Jun 17 #117

Much easier than you think malaise Jun 17 #118

Interesting! While Not pines I once got these beautiful ?2 1/2 ft reddish bark branches, and I... electric_blue68 Jun 17 #119

Sounds lovely malaise Jun 17 #121

That's a great story! Bringing creative inspiration. electric_blue68 Jun 17 #122

Copper tone sun tan lotion BOSSHOG Jun 16 #30

Thank you very much BOSSHOG. Love the smell of Coppertone. May the memories of your grandfather be a blessing to you. debm55 Jun 17 #81

Haven't smelled a thing since COVID. Climate Crusader Jun 16 #31

So sorry, Climate Crusader. debm55 Jun 17 #82

Moth balls The Blue Flower Jun 16 #33

Ha! I lived with my gramma for many years and she would MIButterfly Jun 16 #37

hahahahhahh. thank you very much, MIButterfly. Though she was different, may the memories of your grandma be a blessing debm55 Jun 17 #83

Thank you very much, The Blue Flower. debm55 Jun 17 #84

Photography dark room chemicals. multigraincracker Jun 16 #35

Thank you very much multigraincracker for sharing with us. It has a very distinct smell, somer would call it an odor. I debm55 Jun 16 #41

Didn't like them much, but I loved printing up photos in our College Photo lab! electric_blue68 Jun 17 #120

Lilacs. MIButterfly Jun 16 #36

I love the smell of lilac bushes, too. So sweet in the summer air Thank you MIbutterfly for sharing with us. You brought debm55 Jun 16 #40

Oh, how wonderful that must have been at your wedding! MIButterfly Jun 16 #44

Thant sounds wonderful. I was there on a tour. Loved it. debm55 Jun 17 #85

Lilacs are important to me. Collimator Jun 17 #104

Thank you very much, Collimator. I have been in your place too.Thank you sharing your story of the Lilacs. Mine was debm55 Jun 17 #106

As a child drmeow Jun 16 #38

Thank you so much for sharing you memories with us. I agree Middle Eastern food smells wonderful. Thank you drmeow debm55 Jun 16 #39

Chestnuts enid602 Jun 16 #42

Thank you very much enid602 debm55 Jun 16 #43

debm55.......... Upthevibe Jun 16 #45

Wow, thank you very much,Upthevibe. As a a abused child, not all of my memories were happy ones. I try to think of the debm55 Jun 16 #47

debm55........ Upthevibe Jun 18 #134

I am so sorry for you my sweet Upthevibe. May memories of your dad be a blessing to you debm55 Jun 18 #135

Dolce & Gabbana Red. Takes me back to the 90's, makes me wonder flvegan Jun 16 #48

Thank you very much flvegan. debm55 Jun 17 #86

Fajitas SARose Jun 16 #51

Thank you very much SARose for the excellent description of the Fajitas, So wonderful. I like mine with shrimp debm55 Jun 17 #102

Freshly turned dirt, sauteing onions, baking bread. LoisB Jun 16 #52

Thank you so much for sharing your favorite smells. All three are great.and unique debm55 Jun 17 #101

So, so many. 3catwoman3 Jun 16 #54

Thank you so much for sharing with us all of your favorite smells and memories. 3catwoman3. I love them debm55 Jun 17 #99

The smell of sestina Jun 17 #55

Thank you very much, sestina. for your smells and memories..May the memories of your husband and your dad, bring debm55 Jun 17 #98

Dark fired tobacco barn smoke. Weird I know but bear with me: yellowdogintexas Jun 17 #56

Thank you very much for your informative post. yellowdogintexas. The smell sounds wonderful. debm55 Jun 17 #96

Visited The Southwest, where I ate chilli from time to time. Back in NYC I bought my first bottle of chilli powder..... electric_blue68 Jun 17 #57

Thank you so much for your wonderful post, electric_blue68. what an experience with the chilli and the SW. That is so debm55 Jun 17 #94

Lily of the Valley nuxvomica Jun 17 #58

I used that as a fragance also. Loved it. We had a lilac bush too. Loved the smell. Thank you nuxvomica. debm55 Jun 17 #67

I love the smell of onions frying in butter. In the spring, fresh violets. catbyte Jun 17 #59

Thank you very much catbyte, Yes to onions frying in butter, and violets growing. I think at the time, Old Spice was debm55 Jun 17 #66

Here's my crazy list... Niagara Jun 17 #60

Thank you very much I especially like the book smell, Lilacs and coconut suncreen Thank you very much my friend. debm55 Jun 17 #61

the food smells of thanksgiving and christmas with family. AllaN01Bear Jun 17 #62

Thank you AllaN01Bear. Delightful. debm55 Jun 17 #65

tobaco and coffee shopes . i dont smoke but love to go into a tobaco shop and inhale the smells. AllaN01Bear Jun 17 #63

Thank you AllaN01Bear. I don't drink coffee. debm55 Jun 17 #64

Napalm in the morning. Smells like victory. malthaussen Jun 17 #70

Thank you Mal, I'll pass on the coffee, But bacon in the pan is such a wonderful smell. debm55 Jun 17 #92

Lilacs, lily of the valley, ground coffee. Ocelot II Jun 17 #80

Thank you for your post, Ocelot II . The smell of the trees are wonderful experiences. Thank you for sharing. debm55 Jun 17 #91

It's not my favorite smell, but it's the one that brings childhood memories back the most effectively and vividly. Aristus Jun 17 #87

What a beautiful post of your memories. We only used Chap-Stick in the winter.in SW PA. Your post is funny. Thank you debm55 Jun 17 #88

Baking bread is the best Ritabert Jun 17 #89

Sure is! Thank you very much, Ritabert. debm55 Jun 17 #90

In the Northern Hemisphere justaprogressive Jun 17 #93

Oh that is beautiful. thank you very much for sharing your lovely post with us. May the memories of your mom, forever be debm55 Jun 17 #95

Mom always liked me best justaprogressive Jun 17 #97

Oh you , Thank you justaprogressive. debm55 Jun 17 #100

Can't describe the smell, but it instantly takes me back... ultralite001 Jun 17 #103

Thank you very much ultralite for sharing your favorite smells and memories. May the memories of your dad bring debm55 Jun 17 #105

Hoppes #9 purple_haze Jun 17 #107

Thank you very much purple-haze for sharing your memories with us. debm55 Jun 17 #108

I don't think this is my favorite... jmowreader Jun 17 #109

Thank you very much jmowreader. for sharing with us. debm55 Jun 18 #123

Old Spice. My dad used it after shaving some_of_us_are_sane Jun 17 #110

Thank you very some_of_us_are_sane.. I too remember the Old Spice. freshly baked pies and the smell of real pine . Thank debm55 Jun 17 #115

Roses and freshly-cut grass Mad_Dem_X Jun 17 #111

Thank you for sharing your favorite smells, Mad_Dem_X, Yes , the cut grass while barefoot is a great memory. debm55 Jun 17 #114

Pine needles in the hot sun Wicked Blue Jun 17 #112

Thank you very much, Wicked Blue. debm55 Jun 17 #113

Interesting...never really considered weather being a factor other than after a rainstorm. I do remember some pines.... electric_blue68 Jun 17 #116

My grandfather's pipe av8rdave Jun 18 #124

Thank you very much, av8rdave. And may your grandfather's memories be a blessing to you. debm55 Jun 18 #125

The faint smell of chlorine brings back memories of childhood summers at the community pool. Basso8vb Jun 18 #126

HAHAHAHHHAHAHAHH. Thank you that is so funny. Bassoo8vb. We had a "major" problem here in the community. Someone had debm55 Jun 18 #130

SweetHeart Soap Zackzzzz Jun 18 #127

Thank you very much, Zackzzzz. I haven't smelled that in a long time. TY for sharing with us. debm55 Jun 18 #131

Anise Bmoboy Jun 18 #128

Thank you Bmoboy for sharing. I love anise cookies the scent is out of this world. debm55 Jun 18 #133

Vanilla is mine 😁 TommieMommy Jun 18 #129

Thank you very much, TommieMommy. for sharing. I love the smell of vanilla. debm55 Jun 18 #132

Freshly cut alfalfa is a close second. Prairie_Seagull Jun 19 #136

Thank you very much, Prairie_Seagull debm55 Jun 20 #139

Petrichor TexasBushwhacker Jun 19 #137

That is interesting. Thank you very much for sharing with us, TexasBushwhacker. debm55 Jun 20 #140

Freshly popped Theater popcorn. Emile Jun 19 #138

I agree. Thank you very much, Emile debm55 Jun 20 #141